When It All Falls Apart
by Forsythia Lux
Summary: When the FBI comes knocking on the Block’s door, Massie’s perfect world falls apart. But with her clever wit and charm, Massie just might be able to turn around her misfortunes. [Better summary inside]
1. The End of the Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own the Clique, and or it's related character's, etc.

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_April 20th, 2006 (update, fixed typos) Thanks for all the support!_

Detailed Summary: When the FBI comes knocking on the Block's door, Massie finds herself being violently pulled out of the world she had wrapped around her fingers.

With Claire's father being the lead witness to testify against her dad in court, and the rest of the "Pretty Committee" avoiding her like Ebola, Massie's life couldn't get any worse. Right?

Wrong. Mrs. Block had enough. Filing for divorce due to 'irreconcilable difference' Massie's mom is simply Kendra Randazza, the has been wife of a CEO.

Moving in with her never-been married younger sister on Staten Island, Kendra gains full custody of Massie and takes her along as well.

Raised sheltered and isolated, not to mention spoiled, will Massie be able to cope with her less than stellar life?

Well she may be down 2 million dollars, but Massie never lost her charisma and ability to get what she wants out of people.

With a new school and new class to charm, Massie may just come out smelling like 'Impression of Chanel #19'.

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Chapter One: The End of the Beginning 

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It's almost funny how one minute you can have your whole life planned out, and in the next, your best friend's father is testifying against your's in court.

It was a Wednesday afternoon, as I impatiently waited by the door for my next Glossip Girl delivery to arrive. It was supposed to be berry mango.

Oh how naive I was.

Even after they flashed their badges and a search warrant, it still took me a few minutes to digest what was happening. _The FBI? My father under arrest? _

My mother broke down in tears; but instead of dawdling around as a search team seized my father's computers, I sought out Claire.

How was I to know she had loyalties elsewhere? I'm not entirely sure what embezzlement is, but I can now blame it for my own personal downfall.

Word spreads fast when your father is involved in a multi-million dollar scandal. And the news crews at my door didn't help one bit.

School was torture. The glares, stares, whispers; it was enough to drive one insane. Only a few brave souls had enough moxy to come up and approach me about it, more importantly, the Pretty Committee.

Alicia was the first to speak; her chocolate brown eyes no longer hid malicious intentions. Not that she needed to anymore; Massie Block was over, she had finally won.

Dylan and Kristen agreed with her on this,and soon I found my formerly closest friends avoiding me like Ebola.

And if you thought school sucked, my home life was even worse.

Apparently my parent's marriage was already on the rocks, and my father's criminal act only served as the catalyst for their divorce.

And There I stood, in the middle of this catastrophe, struggling to find my ground.

As the Repo men came to repossess our stuff, it finally hit me. Nothing is going to be the same.

Due to my father's now criminal record, my mother gained full custody of me; and I found myself being shipped off to my Aunt's current residence.

Mom thought it was for the best. Let the dust settle, mellow out for awhile. She was going to go back to selling houses under her maiden name. My Aunt agreed to let us live with her for the time being, and my mom saw this as a chance to start over.

My chestnut hair blows in the wind as I take in the salty sea air. Not to far from the ocean, Aunt Zoey's house is situated on the far end of Staten Island, one of New York City's lesser boroughs. A place I used to consider the sticks; now many upper middle class homes have been built in the area as New Yorkers looked for a decent suburban place to raise a family.

"Massie, dinner!" Shutting the window, I crawl off the small boxspring I have deemed sufficient enough to be a bed, and make my way into the hall.

Maybe it's not so bad here. And it might just be possible to start over.

Some things just take time.

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A/N: (Reviews boost my ego) 

Wow, this was so fun to write. I originally posted this on the Clique forums, gawd I forgot the title. Anyhow I re-wrote most of it, but it has the same overall theme.

BTW, The Clique is just a pure fluff book that brings out the inner mean girl in all of us.

Hope you enjoyed!


	2. First Cut is the Deepest

Disclaimer: I do not own the Clique, etc...

Warning: mild language

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Chapter Two: First Cut is the Deepest 

Night came and went, and before I knew it I was about to start school. Yeah, you know, the 'Public' kind-of school.

As I buttered my poppyseed bagel, the train passing by startled me, causing the knife to slip.

"Shit!" grabbing a nearby napkin to clot the cut, after stopping the blood I check to make sure the wound isn't too deep.

"Want me to get you a band-aid?" I nod in reply, and my mom heads towards the bathroom to retrieve the first aid kit.

"It should be under the sink," my Aunt shouts in my mother's direction. Looking down at my bloody finger and back at the bagel, suddenly I felt a loss of appetite.

"So, _Mass_, are you looking forward to starting a new school?" _No!_ Putting on my signature, slightly malicious, a tinge innocent, smile, I respond, "Yeah." She smiles back, except unlike mine it's genuine. "Great, I knew you'd be happy here."

By now my mother has come back, with an emergency aid kit in tow. As she fussed over the cut, I took it upon myself to re-evaluate my current situation. Can my Aunt be right? Is there a chance at me being happy here?

Before I had a chance at answering my self question, my mother tugged on my sleeve and pointed to the Batman band-aid. "All done." Sighing, I get up from the kitchen stool and head back upstairs to 'my' room; maybe if I lye down I'll fall asleep and wake up from this nightmare.

Well I ended up doing exactly that, well for the lying down and sleeping part.

"Massie! Are you ready yet?" _Huh? _Awhh crap... Slipping out of my over sized pajama pants and into a pair of 7 For All Mankind I had lying around, I pull myself to the closet and throw on an Etnies sweatshirt.

I look like a bum.

"Massie? Are you ready?" I think about exerting my voice to shout out a 'No', but I decide that it's too much trouble. Yeah, yeah, I'll be down in a minute.

Tying my hair into a quick ponytail, as I gaze into the mirror aimlessly, I wonder when my reflection had been stolen and replaced with this hollow-eyed shadow.

"Massie, are you..." My mom barges through the door, but I can tell by her pause she is surprised; somehow. Maybe she's finally noticed how deeply all the changes have affected me.

"...Honey, I'll be down in the car waiting," she says with a motherly tenderness in her voice.

"Kay," I respond, but I find it difficult to cover the rhaspiness in my voice.

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School was basically over before it had begun, and I soon found myself walking up my Aunt's front steps. 

"How was your day?" Mediocre. Instead of blurting out every excruciating detail, I respond with a vague "Good." I can tell she wants to know more, but I'm not in the mood to talk. Homework.

Well, looking back, school wasn't so terrible, in fact, for these suburbia kids, it might even be the highlight of their day, but for me, it's different.

For example, I sat down at some random table during lunch, and no-one said anything. At all. No reserved tables, forbidden zones. Or maybe they do exist, but I just haven't learned of them yet.

One girl lent me a pencil during Math. She asked me if I was new, I said yes. She then proceeded to talk with me. I guess you can say we had a conversation, if getting invited to join the school's Anime club counts. I don't know what possessed me to say yes to her invitation, but it might have to do with the fact I feel worthless without anyone around me. She said her name was Ally, and was really excited I was willing to join.

Now I need to go and find out what Anime is. Sounds French. I wonder if it's some exotic foreign designer. I think I heard of an "Anime Store" before. Maybe 'Anime' makes boots. Hopefully not the kind Nina-obscena wore.

You know, I just might be able to be happy here.

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A/N:

Hehe, Anime a French designer. Don't worry, I won't make Massie geeky like a certain someone (shifty eyes)

About the first scene, unlike the Subways in Manahttan or Brooklyn, Staten Island is known for it's ferries and trains. So, Massie felt the train go by, which is sorta like the rumble one may feel it they stand still while the Subway is moving below.

Thanks for the support! And a shout out to everyone at Lisi's Forum!


	3. Lost in Translation

Disclaimer: I do not own the Clique, etc..

Warning: Mild language

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Chapter 3: Lost in Translation

And here I was hoping to worship the next _Chanel._

"So, Anime is Japanese cartoons?" I ask, perplexed. Ally and a few of her surrounding friends laugh. "See, I told you she was precious," Ally says while giving me a light punch to the shoulder.

"Haven't you ever heard of _Akira_ before?" I knew I should have joined the Animal Lovers club.

"Does she make shoes?" First their eyes grow wide, followed by a pause of silence, but that is quickly broken by a fit of laughter.

Oh-Kay, now I'm annoyed. "S'cuse me, but is there something I'm missing?" One of the boys in her group gains his composure long enough to give me an explanation. "Don't worry, you'll learn all our _Otaku_ lingo in time, _newb_." Otaku? Newb! I don't think I'll find those definitions in Websters. Too embarrassed to ask their meanings, I decide to let the words get lost in translation.

"Come on guys, give her a break, she's new in town." Now I must admit, it's kind-of sad that the first time I really needed someone to cover for me was at an Anime club. "So, where'you from? North Shore?" Pushing a strand of hair behind my ear, I proudly respond, "Scarsdale."

Going, "Oh," and shaking their heads, a few seconds pass until one asks me, "So, is that near the Mall?" I have the compulsion to slap my forehead. "No, it's in Westchester." Again they nod their heads, but the same sharp as a spoon boy asks, "So, is Westchester near the Mall?" What's with this Mall?

Yah know what? Let's change the subject.

"So, what 'Anime' do you enjoy?" Showing some artificial excitement in the subject, one of the members pulls a book out of her knapsack and hands it to me. It's backwards. Maybe she's dyslexic.

"Ooh, Magical Princess Lovey Dovey." The girl's eyes light up. "I know. It's so good." When did I tell my mom to pick me up? Four? Glancing ever-so slightly down to my watch, the digital screen reads 3:15. Awh-crap.

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"So, I never knew you were into Anime," My Aunt states. "Oh, I was, about until I realized it wasn't a French shoe designer," I respond, not bothering to hide the satirical tone edging my words. 

"I take it you didn't enjoy the meeting," My mother says while putting down the paper and looking up towards me. "They thought Scarsdale was located near the Mall. And I didn't even know this Island 'had' a mall." My Mom smiles and laughs. "Of course it does. It's located right near the dump." Now that, I knew existed. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's the only thing this stupid Island is known for. New York City's conveniently located across the harbor dump.

"You know what, Mass? How'about I take you there?" My Aunt shouts towards my mother and enthusiastically. "Just don't expect BCBG or a True Religions outlet."

So maybe "Anime" wasn't some French equivalence of Roberto Cavalli, but nothing brightens my day like a trip to a mall. ANY mall.

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A/N: I wrote this at the same time as chapter 2. I'm on a roll! Remember, show your support and review!

Bah, there was alot of inside humor in there I'm not up to explaining in footnotes, so expect an update soon...


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